


Torture

by Flightless_Bird



Series: Burn Me Up [1]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Hurt/Comfort Later, M/M, Romance, Violence, also a bit of language, basically all the good stuff later, everyone's happy and no one died, fluff later, no one messes with hide, not that graphic but i put a warning anyway, protective Kaneki, so you're welcome, they shall pay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-23 13:04:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8329003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flightless_Bird/pseuds/Flightless_Bird
Summary: "Hide, his Hide, was in that sick ghoul's arms. Kaneki had never wanted to kill someone so badly."





	1. Night

**Author's Note:**

> As soon as this idea came to me, I had to write it down. I crave protective Kaneki unlike anything else, so I really hope you all enjoy this as much as I did. There'll be a part two coming as soon as I can write it XD Comment if you liked it; comments make me smile every time i read them and i'd love some feedback :3

In his bedroom at the back of Anteiku, Kaneki was woken up with shouts and breaking glass.

  
His immediate reaction was to sit up as fast as a bullet, hand shooting down to the mattress; his arm barred the way between the person lying next to him and the closed door. Hide had taken to sleeping in the same bed as Kaneki, not because they were "doing things," as Touka sourly put it, but because it helped with Kaneki's nightmares. Now, he mumbled a sleepy "Kaneki?" as he rubbed at his eyes. The room was still dark, the windows blackened by night. It was way too late for there to be loud noises out in the coffeeshop.

  
"What's happening?" Hide asked, voice still sleep-muffled. He sprawled out on his back, looking charmingly rumpled in a white tee and with messy hair. He didn't bother to try and get up, not with Kaneki's arm caging him in.

  
Kaneki listened hard for any more noise. The shop had gone deathly quiet since the initial banging of chairs. "I don't know," he murmured.

  
"Did Hinami sleepwalk again?" She'd taken to doing so a few nights every month, lulled by the nicer dreams of her parents.

  
Kaneki shook his head. "She wouldn't break things."

  
"Well, whatever it was, it's gone now." Stifling a yawn, Hide reached up and tugged at the hem of Kaneki's black long-sleeved shirt. "Come back to bed, okay?" At a sharp glance from grey eyes, he added quietly, "I miss you."

  
Reluctant and still alert, Kaneki inched back from his protective position. "...okay—"

  
Another shattering of glass brought him straight back up again, Hide sitting upright beside him. Wide brown eyes flew to the door. "What was that?" he demanded in a whisper.

  
A distant shout sounded, freezing Kaneki in place. His stomach lurched to think that he'd recognized the voice as Touka's. Was she fighting with someone? "I gotta go," he decided, climbing out from under the blankets in one deft movement.

  
"What?" Hide asked in disbelief.

  
"If something's wrong, then I have to go see what it is." Grabbing a pair of sweatpants from the floor, Kaneki stepped into them. His blood was already rushing in preparation for a fight. He'd never been very good at confrontation before Jason. Now, he felt the prospect of a battle like an itch under his skin, like the need to crack his knuckles or whisper numbers under his breath. If Touka was in danger, he'd rip her attackers apart.

  
Hide's worried gaze followed Kaneki's movements in the dimness. "What if they're ghouls?"

  
"I'm not worried about that." Kaneki slipped on socks, but didn't worry about putting on shoes; he didn't want to waste time tying them. He made it around the bed and halfway to the door before Hide's hand grabbed his wrist. Glancing back, he blinked down at the fingers curled on his skin. Hide's eyes were gleaming in the dark, pleading with him.

  
"I'll go with you," Hide said firmly.

  
Kaneki shook his head at once. "No."

  
"But, Kaneki—" Hide made to stand up and in a blur, Kaneki planted his hands on his shoulders. Shoved back down to the mattress, Hide grunted in surprise. Then he found himself face-to-face with Kaneki's stern gaze above him.

  
"You're staying here," Kaneki ordered. In the background, there was another crash and he flinched slightly. He had to get out there. "Because," he began icily, bringing a finger to Hide's lips when he tried to speak, "if whoever is out there hurts you, they'll—" He broke off, shoulders stiffening at the idea of it. "I don't know what I'd do," he finished lowly.

  
Hide studied him for a long moment. His hands moved on their own, taking Kaneki's hand and moving it to cup his cheek comfortingly. Then he nodded. "Okay." A resigned smile tipped up his lips, concern written around the edges. "Be safe, okay, 'Neki?"

  
Fierce adoration for him nearly knocked the breath out of Kaneki, but he only gave a short nod. He hoped there weren't ghouls in here, in his home, because suddenly the idea of fighting wasn't so appealing anymore. Not with this beautiful boy waiting here for him. Ducking down, he pressed a fleeting kiss to Hide's lips, inhaled his scent of home. "I love you," he murmured, soft and fast. And then he was pulling back, turning toward the door, and leaving with his heartbeat feeling ten times faster. Behind him, he heard a soft, "love you, too."

  
Out in the hall, the door clicked shut behind him with an air of finality that chilled his insides. At once, he knew that something was off. The air smelled of blood and of unfamiliar ghouls. The crashes had quieted to occasional thumps and muffled words. But it was definitely coming from out in the shop.

  
Breath coming and going slowly, Kaneki ventured from the door and down the hall. It seemed to be unfathomably long in the nighttime, stretching out in front of him into darkness. Feet silent on the hardwood floor, he slunk to the door at the end. It led out to the actual shop area of Anteiku. Tense with readiness, he put his ear within an inch of the wood.

  
Voices sank through from the other side, garbled and harsh. He only caught some of their sentences, but it still set his stomach aflame with dread.

  
"—think she's...pass out?"

  
"Doesn't matter....done with her anyway...any others?"

  
"Yeah....could smell em when we came....humans too."

  
The two were masculine, one higher in pitch than the other. Kaneki narrowed his eyes, trying to rake his memory. But they must've been ghouls he'd never met before. Next came a voice that had him holding his breath, her words grating and weak.

  
" _Fucking....leave them alone...bastards_." Touka, tired, but steely. Touka, his best friend, strong, but not strong enough for these two.

  
There was a thud and a tiny sound then. A flicker of laughter came from the two male ghouls. "Shut up, bitch. We still haven't....our midnight snack yet...can't leave now, can we?"

  
Kaneki's thumb curled over his index finger, cracking it. That was all he needed to hear. They were as good as dead. He stepped back two paces, brought up a foot, and smashed the door from its hinges. They'd see him coming anyway, so there was no need for sneaking in. He stepped out into the silvery moonlight of the shop and faced the gruesome scene in front of him.

  
The tables had been overturned, chairs thrown through the windows. Spatters of scarlet marked where blood had been spilled and shone wetly in the glow of the moon. Three ghouls stood in the center of the shop, heads turned over their shoulders to meet his ashen gaze. He hadn't heard the third speak, but he bet he knew which one that high-pitched voice belong to. There was a thin one in the middle, lean and clothed in black; they all were, actually, accented by the addition of a leather jacket on the slim one. All of them were well-muscled though, evidently used to fighting. Even the lean one had a bend of muscle to his lithe limbs.

  
Kaneki's body went rigid as the two on the ends, one burly and bald, the other with a jet-black mohawk, turned toward him threateningly. Behind them, slumped against the cracked window, was Touka. Dusky hair matted and hanging in her face, a streak of blood marring her cheek. Judging by her bloodstained tank top and shorts, she'd been in bed when they attacked her. Even she could be beaten if she was taken off-guard. Kaneki comforted himself with the ragged rise and fall of her chest, telling him she was alive.

  
"Wait," the thin one said suddenly, and the two advancing ghouls obeyed within seconds. So he was leader. _Not much,_ Kaneki thought, gaze roving over the shock of purple-dyed hair and the piercings glinting from his eyebrows. He could take him.

  
"Don't bother with him," Purple Hair scoffed, after examining Kaneki standing calmly in sweatpants and a wrinkled shirt. He flashed a dangerous smirk in the half-ghoul's direction. "Looks like a weak little thing to me."

Twin deep chuckles came from his two cronies, their grins alight in the moon's rays. They turned away without a second glance. Touka shot the leader a fierce glare as he stood over her. "Now, what were we talking about, sweetheart?" he asked in a slow drawl. He steepled his fingers in front of him conversationally. "Gonna tell me where those humans are now?"

  
"Go to hell," she spat.

  
"Now that's not very ladylike..."

  
As he spoke, Touka's azure gaze traveled behind him to fix on Kaneki. Her eyes widened a fraction as he walked up behind the shorter ghoul with the mohawk. With no warning, he whirled, gathering power from the momentum. His foot met the side of Mohawk with a sickening _thud_ , and sent him flying. A shocked, pained yell escaped the unsuspecting ghoul, as he collided with the back wall of Anteiku. Wood splintered as Purple Hair and his bald follower spun in disbelief, watching their companion slide to the floor.

  
"Holy hell," Baldy muttered, dark eyes flicking warily to Kaneki. Then he glanced at his leader in growing concern. "Dorian?"

  
Kaneki stood casually, as though nothing had happened at all. White hair glimmering coldly in the light, he cracked the knuckle of his ring finger. "Get out," he said.

  
Purple Hair (Dorian?) was running his fingers down his jaw to trace his chin, thoughtful in how he looked at Kaneki. "Damn," he remarked. "Guess your friend here isn't so little after all, huh?" The words were tossed over his shoulder to Touka. She acknowledged them with a low growl.

  
Dorian spread his arms, a gesture of friendship. "Don't take this," he began, with a wave at the ruined shop, "personally, darling. We were only looking for some dinner and smelled it coming from your lovely shop. Wasn't our fault your pretty friend attacked us when we came in."

  
"I told you to get out," Kaneki replied tonelessly. His fingers twitched in annoyance at the use of the pet name, "darling."

  
Head cocked, Dorian peered at him from under a fringe of violet bangs. His eyes were amber, glinting lethally like a wolf's. "You aren't going to make this easy for us, are you?" he concluded. Puffing out a sigh, he flicked his fingers at Kaneki. "Do me a favor and take care of him."

  
It took Kaneki a second to realize that he was talking to Baldy and by then, the ghoul was hurling himself at him. A harsh _rip_ sounded as a bright yellow and sin-red kagune burst from his wide back. It was a huge bikaku, sweeping in low to knock Kaneki's legs out from under him. But the blow never landed. As Kaneki tensed himself to take it, a flash of movement drew his attention to the side. His eyebrows shot up as it recognized Touka, launching herself across the restaurant at an unbelievable speed.

  
Face screwed up in a pained grimace, she barreled into Baldy's side. As he was thrown off-balance with an "oof!" her kagune tore into the air, jaggedly beautiful. Baldy tripped, bikaku flailing to find balance, as shards shot from Touka's kagune. At least five pierced his skin with splatters of blood before he could bring his crimson tentacles up to protect himself, and by then it was too late; he'd fallen backward through the door of Anteiku and into the street. Touka dashed after him with a furious shout, yelling back as she did, " _give him hell, Eyepatch!"_

  
She'd probably called him by the CCG's nickname to keep him safer; knowing his real name could start a new mess of problems, as some people believed Kaneki to be dead or missing. But Kaneki had a feeling that the nickname had some trouble too, because of the way Dorian was now looking at him. His demonic grin glowed white in the darkness and a certain, terrible eagerness had fallen over his features.

  
"Eyepatch?" he echoed. "You're the Eyepatch?" His head tipped back as sick laughter bubbled out of his chest. "I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting you to be such a little thing."

  
"I'm only going to tell you one more time," Kaneki threatened, the cold ice in his voice serving as warning enough. "Get out. And take those two bastards with you." He tipped his head toward where Mohawk was still crumpled on the floor. Out in the street, Touka's enraged shouts and the slicing of kagune filled the night air.

  
"I'm afraid I can't," Dorian apologized, steepling his fingers in front of him. There was a wet hissing sound from behind him, as a set of kagune extended from the small of his back. They were rinkaku, like Kaneki's, but colored brilliantly with streaks of emerald. The majority of them were the color of his hair, a deep pulsing violet. "You see, I haven't even had my food yet. We just happened to be out looking for a late dinner and smelled a couple of snacks in here..."

  
Hide. Hide was the only human living here. They had come here for him. "You won't find them," Kaneki growled.

  
"Really now? And who's going to stop me?" Without waiting for a reply, Dorian rolled his shoulders with a wicked grin. "After hearing so much about him, I have to say, I've always wanted to fight the Eyepatch." Suddenly, he lunged forward, kagune arcing over his head and aiming straight for the half-ghoul.

  
Kaneki didn't even pause to think.

  
He dropped into a crouch to dodge the blow, Dorian's tentacles crashing into the floor behind him. As Dorian's eyes widened a fraction in shock, Kaneki pushed himself up; his shoulder hit Dorian's stomach hard, drawing a grunt out of him and sending him stumbling back. He fumbled to a stop with a skid of his boots over the floor. The four tentacles of his kagune dug into the wood to stop his momentum.

  
Head jerking up, he watched in sick eagerness as the same terrible sound of emerging kagune came from Kaneki's lower back. Kaneki stood icily, the dark beauty of his rinkaku spreading out behind him. The sharpened points faced Dorian and he felt the twist in his eye as it turned kakugan. Ruby iris gleaming against the black sclera, he glared down at the other ghoul. "Leave," he snapped. "Now." It was the last time he was going to say it. Behind his back, he cracked another knuckle.

  
Dorian shook his head, a slow smile pulling up the sides of his mouth. "Not a chance." A low growl in his throat, he threw himself at Kaneki again.

  
Kaneki was more than ready for him. He spun, kagune sweeping wide behind him and catching Dorian in the side. It was a powerful blow. But to his surprise, Dorian took it with a mere grimace, hooking his own kagune around Kaneki's. He sliced them forward, tearing deep gashes into the scarlet tentacles.

  
" _Dammit_ —!" The hiss made it out of him before he could hold it back. The open wounds hurt like hell, but he didn't have time to dwell on that. Dorian was plowing into him, rinkaku a blur of movement as he strode forward. Kaneki brought up his own kagune in defense and met each strike with one of his own. The thundercracks of their battle shook the building, as the two danced around each other. Kaneki couldn't help but be impressed. Dorian wasn't nearly as weak as Kaneki had initially thought he'd be. He was formidable, ducking under a whip-crack from one of Kaneki's tentacles and shooting the tip of his kagune forward.

  
Kaneki stepped aside quickly to dodge, but not quite fast enough. The lethal point missed his heart but sank into his shoulder a wet thunk. A snarl of pain boiled up in his chest and he brought up two tentacles before sending them slamming down onto the one buried in his shoulder. A gut-twisting crack sounded, as Dorian's kagune broke into two under the blow. The following cry of agony was like music in Kaneki's torture-ridden mind. He ripped the severed end from his shoulder and faced a staggering Dorian. The other ghoul pulled his wounded kagune close to his body, the others curling protectively around it.

  
"Not bad," Dorian admitted on a heavy breath. "I'm impressed." Then the edges of his wild grin twitched. "But I'm not going easy on you anymore."

  
He darted across the shop so fast then, Kaneki could barely move to respond. Dorian was on him in an instant, slamming a fist into his stomach. Doubling over, Kaneki's breath knocked out of him and his rinkaku lashed out to counter. Two of them were deftly caught by two of Dorian's, pinning them together above their heads. The other two were sliced through in front of him by Dorian's remaining tentacle.

  
Kaneki's eyes grew round in shock, as flames lanced up his kagune and into the nerves his back. Dorian's tentacle had pierced through both of Kaneki's, trapping them to the floor with blood and RC fluids oozing from them. The fierce ache that radiated from the injury told him that this wasn't going to heal as quickly as he would've liked. _Dammit, he's strong._

  
The two were entangled by their kagune in the center of the room. Kaneki watched in growing rage as Dorian leaned in close. "Any chance that you'd tell me where that snack is?" he asked, sibilant voice light with glee.

  
"Screw you," Kaneki returned. Grabbing Dorian by that purple hair, he yanked the other ghoul's head down and crushed his knee into his nose. A satisfying crunch rang out as it broke and Dorian's high cry was muffled by the spurt of blood. Above them, Dorian's kagune gave a sharp wrench to the side and Kaneki's cracked in their grasp. Shards of crimson scales rained down on them as Kaneki broke away with a gasp.

  
They separated, Dorian holding his nose and Kaneki sinking his rinkaku down toward the ground. Two were still missing their ends, the other pair now spider-webbed with painful cracks. Kaneki tried to gather his senses through the aches spreading throughout his body. He' hadn't had a challenging fight like this in a while.

  
"You," Dorian panted heavily, "are stronger than I thought, little ghoul." His gaze flicked off to the right, out the windows where Touka and Baldy had crashed through. A smug grin hooked up the side of his mouth. "Looks like your friend had some trouble."

  
_Touka_. Alarmed, Kaneki followed Dorian's gaze and his heart plummeted to see Baldy emerging into the shop. Touka had given him a beating; his lip was split, his jacket torn, and stains of blood decorated the white T-shirt he wore underneath. But other than that, he was smiling, ugly and terrible.

  
"Where is she?" Dorian asked, as though they were having a casual conversation over dinner. He wiped a smear of blood from beneath his nose and flicked matted bangs out of his face.

  
"Passed out cold," Baldy answered gruffly. "She's a tough one." He bobbed his head in Kaneki's direction. "You handling this one?"

  
Dorian's gaze traveled over to Kaneki, who glared back vehemently. "I think so."

  
Growling through his teeth, Kaneki prepared to lunge forward again despite his injuries. But Dorian's eyes suddenly lit up, fixing on something over Kaneki's shoulder. "Now, would you look at this?" he purred, weight sinking onto one hip. "Looks like Marcus found us our snack."

  
Freezing midstep, Kaneki inhaled deeply. The scent of blood and sweat hit his nostrils, making him recoil. But beneath that, there was the distinctly sweet scent of honey, and sunlight, and home. He wheeled around, in time to see Mohawk striding in from a back hallway. _When did he get past me?_ There was a bundle of blonde hair in his hand, a boy staggering alongside him.

  
Kaneki's heart stopped beating. 


	2. Sunlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Such a pretty thing," he crooned, as Hide tried to shrink away from the touch. The ghoul's fingers stopped to rest at his chin. "Mind if I have a bite?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for such wonderful comments! This chapter is longer than I thought it'd be, but I hope you didn't mind waiting... XD Let me know what you thought! Your feedback always makes me smile :3 Thank you again!

Hide was fighting back, his nails digging hard into the hand knotted deep in his hair. But Mohawk hardly seemed to notice, the muscles thick in his arm as he delivered a solid blow to Hide's side. "Cut it out, you little shit," he snapped, as Hide let out a weak cry. 

Pure, unbridled rage exploded inside of Kaneki and he threw himself at Marcus. "You—!" 

His voice was cut short with an enraged yell, as Baldy suddenly seized him by the arms and yanked him backward. The burly ghoul was hard as steel, fingers wrapping like vices around Kaneki's arms. Already weakened, Kaneki struggled against the tight grip. He looped his kagune back to attack the ghoul imprisoning him. But Baldy was there in an instant, bikaku whipping around Kaneki's wounded kagune and pinning them down to the floor. 

Kaneki couldn't move. His arms were held behind his back, and his rinkaku were beaten and trapped. His chest heaved, both from exhaustion and desperate panic. 

Hide, his Hide, was in that sick ghoul's arms. Kaneki had never wanted to kill someone so badly. 

"My my, what a tantrum," Dorian remarked airily. His boots tapped over the floor as he made his slow way over to Marcus. "You must be quite attached to this one, huh?" That wolfish gaze remained fixed on Kaneki the entire time, taunting him. 

Hide's breaths came raggedly, a trickle of red slithering its way down his face. Dorian drew close, reaching out a curious hand, and Hide flinched away. "Hold still!" Marcus ordered and jerked Hide's head up by his hair. A bitten-off sound made it out of Hide's gritted teeth, hands clenched around the fingers holding him captive.

"Stop!" Kaneki wrenched at Baldy's grasp in vain, eyes wide and glued to Hide's trembling form. His mind was going blank, to be filled by one single thought: _not him not him not him._

"Where is all of that calm I just saw?" Dorian's lips curled into a wicked smile. "All it takes is a jab at him and you turn into this. If I didn't know any better," he went on slyly, "I'd say you got it bad for a scrap of meat, Eyepatch."

"Let him go," Kaneki rasped, hardly registering the words themselves. All he could hear was the dark intent in Dorian's voice and all he could see was Hide suffering in front of him.

"After I went through so much work to get him? I think not." Turning a sickly-sweet smile on Hide, Dorian reached out to trace a fingertip up the human's neck. "Such a pretty thing," he crooned, as Hide tried to shrink away from the touch. The ghoul's fingers stopped to rest at his chin. "Mind if I have a bite?"

Through tangled strands of bloodstained hair, Hide glowered at him. "Touch me again and I'll bite your fingers off."

Dorian withdrew his hand then, but his laughter echoed like crow's caws off the ceiling. "I can see why none of you have eaten him yet," he commented. "He's so entertaining. I wonder if he tastes as good as he looks." Then he stepped in close, hand coming up to grip Hide's shoulder and fear flashed across Hide's face. The fear quickly morphed into revulsion as Dorian nosed at the human's jaw, teeth an inch from skin.

" _Don't touch him!_ " Kaneki snarled, almost pulling his arm out of its socket with how hard he fought against Baldy's hold. He could feel his turned eye burning in white-hot anger. 

"Oh, Eyepatch, you must really like this one," Dorian chuckled. "Your scent is all over him." He moved his thumb in an idle swipe over Hide's jugular. Then, sudden and fast, he sank his teeth into the juncture of Hide's neck and shoulder. Blood spilled in a dark stain across Hide's shirt and he near-screamed as agony overtook him. 

_NO. NO NO NO._ Kaneki writhed in Baldy's arms, tears welling in his eyes. "Hide! _Hide_!"

Dorian hummed in satisfaction and leaned back, showing off the gaping mess of muscle and blood that was Hide's shoulder. "Eyepatch, I'll admit you have good taste," he cooed. He thumbed away a stray drop of blood from his lip. Kaneki's furious snarls and struggles brought a ghost of annoyance to his face. "Quiet him down, will you?" The words were thrown in Baldy's direction.

Kaneki had the whole of half a second to process this before Baldy slipped his bikaku around the base of Kaneki's kagune and squeezed. As hard as fucking possible. Unbelievable pain shot through Kaneki's body, up his spine, to the tips of his toes. A strangled cry ripped from his throat as his back arched, a feeble attempt to escape the agony tearing at his nerves. Dimly, he heard Hide's panicked voice rising above his own.

"No—don't! Don't hurt him!" Hide sobbed, injured arm hanging weakly, but his glazed eyes watching Kaneki, just Kaneki. 

_He's hurt, but he only cares about me_ , Kaneki thought. Desperate love for Hide overwhelmed him and he ached to slaughter these monsters. 

"You should be worrying about yourself, human," Dorian said lowly. His hand cupped Hide's jaw, as he bent down to look him in the eye. A thoughtful sort of malice entered his expression and when he spoke, it was soft. "I think I'll enjoy him slowly. Finding a meal was nice, but I'd still like to see what sort of reactions I can get out of Eyepatch."

Kaneki stilled. No. He would not do this. He was not going to stand here and watch Hide be tortured. He'd rather die. Summoning all of his strength, he lifted his rinkaku and sent them lunging backward. There was a thud, followed by a sick grating of organs and bone, as he pierced Baldy through the chest. A gurgle sounded from behind him and the grasp on his arms loosened. Dorian's eyes had grown round and Hide paled. Kaneki glared straight into those yellow eyes. He was going to _maul_ this ghoul. 

Kicking back hard, he slammed Baldy back into the glass windows. As glass shattered and rained to the ground, Kaneki's vision went red. 

Marcus yelped, releasing Hide on reflex, but he wasn't fast enough. A flaming red kagune wrapped itself around his neck and hefted him off the ground. Choking, he scrabbled at it with his fingers—right before it hurled him after Baldy into the street. The sound of bones breaking came next and Kaneki wouldn't be surprised if he'd broken Marcus' neck. 

Hide had dropped to a half-kneel, clutching at his ripped shoulder. Face drained of color, he flinched when Dorian advanced on Kaneki. "Aren't you full of surprises, Eye—?" His sentence ended with an abrupt gagging noise, as Kaneki speared his kagune deep into the ghoul's stomach. Dorian's expression was frozen in astonishment. He'd never had a chance to move. 

Slow and deadly, Kaneki walked up to him and let him see the madness swimming behind his gaze. The four ends of his tentacles remained buried inside Dorian's body. "If you ever touch him again," Kaneki said softly, "I will tear you apart, from the inside, out." As he spoke, he twisted his kagune inside of Dorian, piercing organs, nudging against bone. 

A high wheezing cry escaped Dorian and he bent double. His fingers pulled weakly at the tentacles lodged in his torso. "Do you understand?" Kaneki asked. 

Whining in the back of his throat, Dorian nodded.

"Then get the hell out." With that, Kaneki wrenched his kagune from Dorian's stomach. Dorian lurched to the ground, arms weak as they held him up. Coughing, he half-limped to the door, rinkaku helping him move. Kaneki watched him threateningly the entire way. Amber eyes glinted back at him once, before Dorian finally pulled himself the last few feet out the entrance and disappeared. 

Some coiled-up thing inside of Kaneki loosened and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Now that the danger was gone, he could feel every hurt part of his body like a knife in his skin. But he couldn't relax yet. Hide was hurt. 

Hurrying to Hide's side, Kaneki knelt down beside him. Hide had shifted to sit on the floor, clinging to his wounded shoulder to stem the bleeding. He already looked paler, chest heaving and hair tangled. Kaneki reached for him, afraid to touch, fingers ghosting over his blood-soaked arm. "Kaneki," Hide began.

"I'm sorry," Kaneki blurted out. "I'm sorry, Hide, I wasn't fast enough. I wasn't there, and he did this to you, I'm sorry—"

"Kaneki." Hide stopped the flow of apologies with just those three syllables. His lips were tipped up the tiniest bit at the corners. "I'm fine. Shoulder kinda hurts like hell, but fine. You don't have to say sorry to me."

A mixture of gratitude and sorrow brought tears to Kaneki's eyes. He ran his shaking fingers through Hide's rumpled hair, normally so beautiful and sunlit. "Look at what he did to you," he said hoarsely, kagune curving around Hide on instinct, but not daring to touch him. "I wanted to kill him so badly, Hide."

Hide leaned into Kaneki's hand now cupping his cheek. "I'm glad you didn't," he murmured, knowing that Kaneki hadn't wanted Hide to see him murder in a blind rage. But then his voice took on a serious note. "You have to help Touka."

Touka. Kaneki felt like his heart was being torn in two directions. "Let me get you out of here first," he decided, moving to take Hide in his arms. 

"No, Kaneki, I'm okay," Hide argued. "She needs help. She might be really hurt."

"So are you," Kaneki whispered, recoiling from the stench of blood flooding off of Hide's shoulder.

"I can live for another two minutes while you go see her."  
Kaneki gritted his teeth in frustration, because he knew Hide was right. 

But it was killing him to leave Hide here, when all he wanted to do was wrap him up in his arms and make him feel safe again. He'd worked so damn hard to keep Hide safe and now look at what had happened. But he swallowed down his feelings and gave a short nod. "Okay." Darting forward, he dropped a careful kiss on Hide's forehead. There was an amused chuckle and the affectionate look Hide gave him left Kaneki's heart in a puddle. He stood up before Hide could do anything else to make him lose his mind and started toward the doors of Anteiku.

He made it two steps. Then, with a shuffle of broken glass, Touka was there. She trudged to the doorway and leaned against the doorframe, coughing into her hand. "That," she muttered, "was the worst way I've ever been woken up."

"Touka." Kaneki was at her side in an instant. She was beaten, that much was sure, but her regeneration had taken care of some of it. "Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I wake up like this every day," she replied drily. It was a good sign to see her sarcasm still intact. Wincing, she touched a place at the back of her head; it might've been where she was hit when she'd been knocked out. "You kill them?"

Kaneki shook his head. 

"Why the hell not?" Touka asked irritably.

"I just wanted them away from you," he answered. "And Hide."

Touka's blue eyes flickered at the mention of Hide's name.

"They took Hide? Is he okay?" Not giving him a chance to answer, she shuffled around him and into the shop. A weak but cheery, "hey Touka!" followed, and then her annoyed yell: "Kaneki! You just _left_ him like that?!"

 

Kaneki rushed inside, hands raised in defense. "He told me I had to check on you!" 

Touka scowled at him, her exhausted, messy state only enhancing the effect. Hide smiled up at Kaneki from the floor like he wasn't currently bleeding out of his shoulder. "I can take care of myself!" Touka snapped. "He's a human! He can't heal as fast as us!"

"I know that!" Kaneki defended himself. "But we thought you were hurt!"

"Guys, I'm really okay," Hide piped up. "Look, I think the bleeding stopped."

"Your opinion isn't needed, Nagachika," Touka returned. Kaneki opened his mouth to speak and she cut him off: "Now, I'm tired as hell right now, so before you say anything else, I'm taking a bath. And then I guess I have to be the one to call the manager and check on Hinami. Honestly, I don't know how she didn't wake up with all this shit going on." Puffing out a sigh, she pressed the heel of a palm to her forehead. "Help your boyfriend. He's giving me a headache."

Hide gasped in mock outrage. "I barely said anything to you!"

"I know," she muttered, already shuffling among the shattered glass and splintered chairs. She raised her hand in a half-wave of farewell. "We can fix the coffeeshop later. _Again_." 

Kaneki gazed after her, almost smiling despite himself. Even hurt, she never lost her sharpness. That, at least, was one comfort from this disaster of a night.

"Was she always this bad, or do I bring it out more?" Hide asked. There was a tightness in his words, but other than that, he ignored his injuries pretty well. "I think it's because of—whoa!" He yelped as suddenly, Kaneki bent to scoop him up into his arms with ease. "Ow!" Hide hissed when his shoulder was jostled. The scrunched-up expression on his face sent affection deep into Kaneki's heart.

"Sorry," he said, resting his lips against the top of Hide's head. Absently, he thought that this was the same way he'd carried Hide out of Anteiku all those weeks ago. His kagune slid around them in a protective circle, one of them moving on its own to cradle the back of Hide's head.

Hide hummed as Kaneki started to walk, nudging his head against the tentacle. "These are warm."

"Really?"

"Mmhm."

Suddenly devious, Kaneki let another one of his kagune sneak up beneath Hide's shirt to skim across his side. Hide squeaked, batting at it with his good arm. "Don't tickle me!" he protested. "I'm hurt here!"

"Not too hurt, apparently, because you're still talking."

"Shut up."

Kaneki broke into a smile as they reached the back hall and something about it made Hide sober. Curling a hand around the back of Kaneki's neck, he leaned up toward his face. Kaneki drew back, amusement glimmering in his grey eyes. "You must be feeling better," he remarked, "if you're trying to kiss me."

"Yes, I am trying to. But you're making it hard."

"I need to clean your shoulder." 

"I don't care." Hide didn't play fair; since he couldn't reach Kaneki's face, he settled for kissing the side of his neck.  
Kaneki nearly dropped him outside of their door. "Hide."

Mumbling a complaint, Hide settled back into the cradle of Kaneki's arms. "Fine."

Kaneki used one gleaming tentacle to open the door, before letting his rinkaku retreat back into him with a soft hiss. Red mist bloomed behind him in their wake as he stepped into their bedroom. Nothing looked damaged, thank God. The sheets were thrown haphazardly across the mattress from when Marcus had probably ripped Hide from them. Throat constricting in new anger, Kaneki took Hide to the bed and set him down on the edge of it. "I'm gonna get the first aid things," he told him. "And a new shirt for you. Okay?"

"What about you?" Hide asked, taking in Kaneki's slumped shoulders and the sticky dark spots in his shirt. 

Kaneki certainly wouldn't object to a shower or a change of clothes. But he shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I heal fast."

He left Hide waiting there and went into the bathroom to get his things. 

A minute later, he was back, a first aid kit and a clean shirt in his hands. Bending down in front of Hide, he set everything down and motioned at Hide's shirt. "Can you take that off for me?"

Hide started pulling up the hem of his shirt. He shot Kaneki a teasing smirk as he did. "Asking me to take my clothes off already?" he asked, clucking his tongue in feigned disapproval. "Kinda scandalous, 'Neki."

"Idiot." Kaneki gave him a shove in the knee. Then he fell into silence as Hide tossed his shirt carelessly onto the mattress. Hide wasn't as strong as Kaneki, obviously. But there was a toned sleekness to him that had Kaneki breathless. A mess of twisted scar tissue mapped out the place on the side of his stomach; it was from back when Anteiku had first been attacked, in the fire. 

"Hey." Kaneki started when Hide touched his chin and tilted his head up. The soft warmth in his brown eyes left Kaneki's knees weak. "You gonna patch me up, or should I do it myself?" 

"Sorry." Kaneki averted his gaze, because looking at Hide was suddenly much too distracting. Plucking out bandages and antiseptic, he set to work at Hide's shoulder. Using a wet rag, it was easy to rub the dried blood that had dripped down Hide's torso. It was not so easy, however, to clean the actual wound itself. As soon as the antiseptic touched his shoulder, Hide hissed and jerked instinctively. Kaneki snatched his hand away and darted in to kiss Hide's forehead. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "It hurts."

"No shit," Hide deadpanned, and earned himself another shove. "Just kidding, jeez, I'll hold still." He shifted in place as Kaneki bent in close, wincing as he began to clean the wound again. There was a companionable silence between them for a few minutes. Then Hide spoke up uncertainly. "You were really panicked back there, huh?"

Kaneki's fingers faltered around the rag he was using. "...yeah."

Hide hummed in acknowledgement, bracing his hands on the edge of the bed. "Was it like that during, you know, the fire?" he asked.

Screwing the cap back on the antiseptic, Kaneki dropped it back into the kit and reached for the bandages. A sick feeling rose in his throat at the memories Hide was bringing up. He had to remember not to crack his knuckles or breathe a few numbers to himself. "Don't you remember?" 

"Not really. I passed out in Anteiku and then you said you carried me out." Hide toed at the floor. "What happened after that?"   
Kaneki exhaled lengthily as flame-eaten images flashed behind his eyes. "I took you outside," he told Hide in a murmur. "I carried you until I found the CCG, or what was left of them. Then I set you down against a building." Nudging Hide's arm up, he started looping the bandages around his body. "There was a CCG officer nearby, so I attacked him." At Hide's gasp, he went on, "it wasn't that bad. I didn't hurt him, just scared him and led him over to you. I had to run then, so that the rest of them wouldn't find me, but at least they'd found you. They took you and had the medical teams help. You remember what came after that, don't you?"

"Yeah," Hide said quietly. He'd woken up at a hospital, confused and inexplicably lonely. As soon as he'd been let out, he'd gone to Anteiku. It'd been in the early stages of construction at the time, of course, but he saw Touka. He told her what happened.

Two days later, Kaneki had shown up outside his door, with nothing more than a whispered, "I had to see you."

"So...you took me to the CCG?" he asked, as the wrappings tightened around his shoulder with. "Even though you knew what they'd do to you if you got caught?"

"You needed help," Kaneki whispered. "They were the closest ones that could save you." Hide's shoulder was finally finished up, but Kaneki ran his fingers over it anyway. He could always claim he was checking it, instead of finding excuses to touch Hide's skin. "It was so hard," he admitted. "I didn't wanna leave you there, even though I knew they'd help you. I wanted to protect you."

"Like tonight." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah."

Another long pause passed as Kaneki stored the bandages in the kit and made sure everything was back in its place. As he stood up, he felt Hide catch his arm, beneath the elbow. He hardly had time to turn before Hide was speaking, serious and soft. "Thanks."

Kaneki glanced at him in surprise, to find those gentle eyes fixed on him. Hide's lips quirked near the corners, a dusting of pink decorating his cheeks. Kaneki suddenly longed to forget about his injuries and pin him to the mattress. "You're wel—Hide!" he yelped as Hide suddenly yanked him forward. He barely managed to catch himself against the mattress before Hide's lips were crushed to his. 

Kaneki managed a whimpered protest, mindful of Hide's injury. But Hide didn't seem to mind. He looped a hand around the back of Kaneki's head, fingers tangling in cotton-pale hair. His lips were softly insistent, teeth catching Kaneki's lower lip. Kaneki decided that he could forget about their aching muscles for now. Easing Hide back onto the crumpled sheets, he pressed their mouths firmly together. Hide sighed underneath him and wound his arms around Kaneki's shoulders. His hand slipped beneath the neckline and splayed between his shoulder blades. Kaneki's skin burned with his touch and he had to bite down on a moan when Hide's nails dug in. 

Ducking away from the kiss, Kaneki placed his lips at Hide's chin, then his jaw. He worked reverent kisses down the arch of Hide's neck, breathing in the taste of his skin. His tongue briefly traced the line of Hide's jugular and Hide's head angled back with a gasp. "Kaneki," he groaned, and ran his fingernails up Kaneki's back under his shirt. Kaneki didn't know what came over him. His breath hitched, a little noise escaping him, and his eye turned. Red-and-black lace spidered down his back and pooled at the base, his kagune emerging into the air. He coiled them loosely around Hide's ankles and wrapped his legs around Kaneki's waist.

Their foreheads met, blonde hair mingling with silver, and Hide shivered under the eyes above him; one was molten mercury, the other obsidian-and-ruby. He bit his lip, drawing those eyes down to his mouth and clouding them with want. His fingers pulled lightly at Kaneki's shirt, drawing it up his stomach. Something flickered over Kaneki's face and he glanced away. "It's really late, Hide," he murmured, kiss-woozy. 

A smirk tempted Hide's lips. "So what?"

"We should sleep..."

"You don't want to."

"I kinda do."

"Liar."

"Hide."

"What can I say to make you change your mind?"

 

"You can't—"

"I love you."

Kaneki paused, expression melting. His insides grew weak at the mere words. Hide grinned cheekily up at him. "Change your mind, yet?"

"No," Kaneki answered sternly, ruffling Hide's hair. Hide growled and batted Kaneki's hand away. Smiling with half of his mouth, Kaneki bent to nuzzle into Hide's neck. He heard the stuttered breath and Hide's body relaxed against his. "I love you, too," he whispered.

Hide's hands made their slow way down his sides, shaping to the muscle, the fabric of Kaneki's shirt. They only stopped when he had to raise one to stifle a yawn. "Okay, maybe I am kinda...tired," he confessed, exhaustion weighing on his words.

"Yeah." Kaneki pushed up and off of him, realizing with a start that his kagune were still hooked around Hide's legs. Blushing, he unwound them and let them vanish once more into his back. "I think I need some sleep," he mumbled at Hide's teasing smirk. 

Shifting back, Hide scooted to his side of the bed and grabbed his pillow. As he rearranged the sheets into place, Kaneki stripped out of his torn clothes. He didn't even bother changing, not with his bones feeling like they suddenly weight a thousand pounds. He shuffled to his side of the mattress in boxers. A muffled snicker caught his attention and he caught Hide shamelessly running his eyes over Kaneki's body. "Shut up," he muttered, climbing into bed and flicking Hide in the forehead.

"I didn't say anything!" Hide grinned as Kaneki threw the covers over them, the darkness of the room making his hair glow.

"Whatever." Wrapping an arm around Hide's waist, Kaneki pulled him in close. Hide's grin fell away at the reassuring warmth. He nosed into Kaneki's chest, shutting his eyes and letting their legs idly tangle. Kaneki's heart skipped several beats in his chest.

"'night, Kaneki," Hide whispered, breath warm on Kaneki's skin.

Kaneki watched the sunlit hair spread out on his pillow until Hide's breaths deepened into sleep. Only then did he let himself drift off too. 

He wasn't going to let anyone take this from him again.


End file.
